Written Answers Nos. 264-273
264. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Justice if she will consider prioritising applications by Afghans currently in direct provision centres given the difficult and increasingly stressful situation in Afghanistan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48264/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFor those who are in the international protection process, our objective is to have decisions made on their applications, including the permission to remain consideration, as soon as possible. This ensures that those who are found to be in need of our protection can receive it quickly and begin rebuilding their lives here with a sense of safety and security.
This applies to everyone in the international protection process, whether they are residing in Direct Provision accommodation or living independently in the community.
I am very conscious of the plight faced by the Afghan people following the collapse of the former Afghan government and the takeover by the Taliban, that has further fuelled the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.
My Department is currently reviewing all international protection applications on hand from Afghan nationals with a view to expediting their progress. This is in line with updated advice provided by UNHCR in recent weeks. These applications are already prioritised, as agreed with UNHCR. The processing of these applications takes full account of whether a person will be in danger if not provided with a permission to remain here.
So far this year (to end September), there have been 125 applications made from people providing Afghanistan as their country of origin at the time of application.
265. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Justice the status of the roll-out of the community safety innovation fund; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45212/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra267. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Justice the status of the Community Safety Innovation Fund; the expected timeframe for allocation; her plans in relation to the fund; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45569/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 265 and 267 together.
As the Deputies will be aware, Budget 2022 provides for the establishment of the new Community Safety Innovation Fund. It is intended that this fund will support investment in projects which will improve community safety. The fund, which is expected to grow in the coming years, will have an initial outlay in 2022 of €2m.
A call for funding proposals will issue seeking applications for community safety projects and similar initiatives from bodies involved in community safety, such as the new Local Community Safety Partnerships – pilots of which are in place in North Inner City Dublin, Waterford and Longford – and the Drogheda Implementation Board, as well as similar entities nationwide.
Applications will be assessed against stated criteria outlined in the call for proposals to ensure funding is allocated to encourage the development of innovative ways in which to improve community safety from those people who understand local community safety needs best. These criteria for allocating funding are currently under consideration and will be announced in due course.
The approach we are taking will ensure that the best proposals to improve community safety will get the funding they need and will encourage the development of innovative ways in which to improve community safety from those people most directly involved. It will also allow best practice on community safety to be shared with other partnerships around the country as new proposals get developed.
266. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Justice when the sex offenders (amendment) Bill will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42548/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Sex Offenders (Amendment) Bill has completed drafting and I intend to bring it to my Government colleagues for approval to publish in the coming weeks.
As the Deputy will be aware, the purpose of the Bill is to enhance current systems for the assessment and management of convicted sex offenders and to put those systems on a statutory footing.
268. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Justice when an application for a Garda spouses pension submitted by a person (details supplied) will be processed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51726/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can advise the Deputy that a Garda Widow's Pension in respect of the person concerned has now been approved and payment, including any arrears, will commence on Monday November 1, 2021.
269. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the current status of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51805/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person referred to by the Deputy holds a Stamp 4 permission, which has been extended until 15 January 2022, under the final automatic extension of immigration permissions I announced on 15 September 2021. All permissions are extended on the same terms and conditions to the permission already held.
It is open to the person concerned to contact their local Immigration Office before 15 January 2022 to apply for a further renewal of their immigration permission. I strongly recommend that they make efforts to renew their permission as early as possible rather than waiting until January when demand for appointments will be significantly greater.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility at INISOireachtasMail@justice.ie, which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Question process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in the cases where the response is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.
270. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the best way for members of Dáil Éireann to raise with her Department issues of an administrative, policy or operational nature brought to their attention by the public which might warrant a response from her Department having particular regard to the fact that such issues in the past, when not responded to, in such fashion, were finally decided by way of expensive public enquiry; if every effort is made to clarify to the Oireachtas any policy failings such as the cancellation of emergency and 999 calls; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51932/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn the first instance, should the Deputy wish to raise issues of an administrative, policy or operational nature with me or my Department at any time, I would recommend you write to my office and include all details relating to the matter at hand.
I can assure the Deputy that any such matters raised in this way will be handled efficiently and appropriately, as is the policy of my Department in handling such matters. I can also assure the Deputy that every effort is made to keep my Oireachtas colleagues proactively informed of matters of relevance.
If the Deputy would like to write to me with further details or clarification in relation to this matter, I will be pleased to consider the matter further.
271. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the extent to which deployment of extra gardaí is positively impacting on crime levels in all areas throughout Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51934/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, the budget provided by Government to the Garda Commissioner continues to increase to unprecedented levels, with an allocation of €1.952 billion for 2021. Budget 2022 provides over €2 billion in funding. Since 2016, the budget for An Garda Síochána has increased by approximately €500m, or 33%. This has enabled 1400 extra Gardaí to be deployed, as well as continued investment in modern equipment. In addition, we have freed up 800 Gardaí for front line policing work through the recruitment of Garda staff.
As the Deputy may be aware, Covid-19 restrictions on the Garda Training College in Templemore constrained recruitment and training for periods over the last 18 months. However, I am glad to confirm that 450 Gardaí will be recruited this year and the funding provided for next year fully supports the sustained recruitment of Garda members and staff.
In particular, the funding announced last week includes provision for the recruitment of 800 new Garda recruits and 400 Garda staff in 2022 - an additional 1,200 personnel. This increase in the number of Garda members and staff will deliver significant growth in operational policing hours nationwide and improved services to the public generally. Redeployment of Gardaí from administrative and support roles will also continue next year, thus allowing highly trained Gardaí to focus on frontline policing duties. The organisation's capacity will be further strengthened by the recruitment of additional Garda staff, including to specialist roles to support the investigation of crime and enhance the management of the organisation .
As the Deputy will be aware, by law the detection of and response to any criminal activity is an operational matter for the Garda Commissioner, as laid down in the Garda Síochána Act 2005. As Minister, I have no direct role in such matters.
I am assured by the Commissioner that the distribution of resources among the various Garda Divisions across the State is kept under constant review, in light of emerging crime trends and operational needs.
The operational review of crime statistics, at a national and regional level, is also the responsibility of the Garda Commissioner under the Garda Síochána Act 2005. Again, I play no role in these independent functions.
The Deputy may be interested to note that the most recent available crime statistics, as published by the CSO on 29 September and covering the 12 months to the end of June 2021, are available on the CSO website.
It should also be noted, as highlighted in the Report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland, that policing and crime prevention are not the responsibility of An Garda Síochána alone. Improving community safety requires a multi-sectoral approach, strong inter-agency collaboration and engagement from the community. To achieve this, three pilot Local Community Safety Partnerships have been established, before being rolled out nationwide with the anticipated enactment of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill. The partnerships will replace and expand the remit of the Joint Policing Committees by providing a forum for residents and community representatives, including representatives of youth, new communities and the voluntary sector and business and education representatives, along with the relevant State agencies, such as An Garda Síochána, the HSE, Tusla and others.
The Local Community Safety Partnerships will provide a dedicated communication channel for input and the development of Local Community Safety Plans to reflect and respond to the self-identified needs of that community.
272. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the areas throughout Ireland currently experiencing the highest and the lowest crime levels by each Garda divisional district; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51935/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, the detection of and response to any criminal activity is an operational function for the Garda Commissioner, as per the Garda Síochána Act 2005. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters.
The operational review of crime statistics, at a national and regional level, is the responsibility of the Garda Commissioner under the Garda Síochána Act 2005. Again, I play no role in these independent functions.
As the Deputy will also be aware, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) is Ireland's national statistical office and its purpose is to impartially collect, analyse and make available statistics about Ireland’s population, society and economy. Their specific mandate under the Statistics Act 1993 is the collection, compilation, extraction and dissemination for statistical purposes of information relating to economic, social and general activities and conditions in the State.
The Deputy may be interested to note that the most recent available crime statistics, as published by the CSO on 29 September and covering the 12 months to the end of June 2021, are available on the CSO website www.cso.ie. The recorded crime statistics show crime trends in each Garda region, division and station.
The most recent statistics show welcome continued decreases in property and other types of crime nationwide. Burglary was down 37.2% nationwide compared to the previous 12 month period, while Robbery was down 20.7% and theft was down 22%. I also noted that Reported fraud offences have increased by 40.6% across the country in the period, and the number of Sexual offences recorded during Q2 2021 has increased by 7.5%.
273. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the degree to which an Garda Síochána continues to combat the activities of criminal gangs and the membership of such gangs; if membership of criminal gangs is noted in the course of criminal cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51936/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra278. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the extent to which members of criminal gangs have been successfully prosecuted in each of the past five years to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51941/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra285. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the extent to which an Garda Síochána continues to pursue gangs and individuals involved in drug running: the number of successfully prosecuted cases in each of the past six years to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51948/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 273, 278 and 285 together.
The continued disruption of the supply of all illicit drugs remains a priority for An Garda Síochána and the other state agencies tasked with responsibilities in this regard. A concerted effort has been made over the past year to ensure that the detection and prevention of these types of criminal activity have not been adversely affected by the unprecedented demands placed on policing services by the vital enforcement of public health restrictions.
As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including Garda operations aimed at preventing and countering criminal activity, and the enforcement of legislation pertaining to illegal drugs. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters.
The Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB) is having significant success in disrupting drug trafficking and the supply of illicit drugs by organised crime groups. The Bureau’s work is supported by Divisional Drugs Units nationwide, and by all Gardaí working in local communities. GNDOCB also works closely and productively with international law enforcement partners. Gardaí continue to work closely with local authorities, HSE, NGOs, community groups and other state agencies to tackle the problems of drug addiction and abuse.
The Deputy may be aware that the Department of Health leads on Government policy in the area of drugs, and this policy is guided by the national drugs and alcohol strategy "Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery - a health led response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland 2017-2025". This strategy represents a whole-of-Government response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland. The implementation of the strategy is led by my colleague, the Minister for Health, however the strategy includes actions for all stakeholders, including my Department and An Garda Síochána.
The strategy recognises the need for a balanced health-led approach - reducing demand, while also reducing access to illegal drugs, and is aimed at reducing the number of people criminalised for the possession of drugs for personal use. While this strategy supports the vulnerable people who use drugs, it is also matched with strengthened enforcement measures across government to tackle the supply of illegal drugs. Sustained action by An Garda Síochána has continued unabated throughout the current pandemic, bringing significant convictions and ongoing seizures of drugs, firearms and ammunition.
I can inform the Deputy that on 2 July 2021, An Garda Síochána commenced an enhanced national anti-drugs strategy, Operation Tara, which has a strong focus on tackling street-level dealing throughout rural and urban Ireland. The focus of Operation Tara is to disrupt, dismantle and prosecute drug trafficking networks, at all levels - international, national and local - involved in the importation, distribution, cultivation, production, local sale and supply of controlled drugs. Recent successes of Operation Tara include the seizure of an estimated €1.18 million worth of cannabis in Kilkenny on 7 October 2021, and €100,000 worth of cannabis herb in Allenwood, Co. Kildare on 9 October.
I am informed by the Courts Service that statistics relating to drug convictions, broken down by District and Circuit Court cases, are published each year in the Courts Service’s annual report and can be found on the Courts Service website at www.courts.ie/annual-report.
I am further informed that membership of criminal gangs is not noted by the Courts Service during the course of criminal cases.
